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Betsy McCaughey is a lying sack of shit fucking cow.* Not to mention intellectually dishonest. And she has teeth like a horse. Although the teeth thing really isn't pertinent.

For those of you who have never heard of this woman (as I hadn't, before Nathan frothed all over my e:mail), she's the former lieutenant governor of New York, and presumably a health care advocate. I say "presumably" because even though she has a foundation dedicated to the abatement of infectious disease in hospitals, she's apparently lost her fucking mind, and is now running all over the country trying to convince everyone that President Obama wants you to not only kill your grandmother, but eat her dead flesh, too.

Okay, that last part was hyperbole, but not by much.

She's been featured on every talk show on the planet that has a mentally challenged, narcoleptic fact checker, where she uses the venue to spout the idea that the new Health Care bill (H.R. 3200) would encourage you to kill your senior relatives:

...the Congress would make it mandatory … that every five years, people in Medicare have a required counseling session that will tell them how to end their life sooner, how to decline nutrition, how to decline being hydrated, how to go into hospice care … all to do what’s in society’s best interest … and cut your life short.

Really, Betsy? Really?C'mon, now, we both know that's not what the bill says. In fact, the pertinent section of the bill reads:

H.R. 3200, page 425: Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), the term ‘advance care planning consultation’ means a consultation between the individual and a practitioner described in paragraph (2) regarding advance care planning, if, subject to paragraph (3), the individual involved has not had such a consultation within the last 5 years. Such consultation shall include the following:

(A) An explanation by the practitioner of advance care planning, including key questions and considerations, important steps, and suggested people to talk to.

(B) An explanation by the practitioner of advance directives, including living wills and durable powers of attorney, and their uses.

(C) An explanation by the practitioner of the role and responsibilities of a health care proxy.

(D) The provision by the practitioner of a list of national and State-specific resources to assist consumers and their families with advance care planning … .

(E) An explanation by the practitioner of the continuum of end-of-life services and supports available, including palliative care and hospice, and benefits for such services and supports that are available under this title.

(F)(i) Subject to clause (ii), an explanation of orders regarding life sustaining treatment or similar orders … .

So how does "end of life planning" suddenly become "you have a duty to die as soon as possible because it's in society's best interest, you blue-haired parasite?"

This is exactly the kind of shit that I blogged about on Saturday. Here's this incredibly important debate, and this bloviatingwackadoo is confusing the issue with her inflammatory rhetoric and outright falsehoods. And they are falsehoods. The details of how many ways this crazy person is out in the weeds can be found over at FackCheck.org, but the main issue is that she's spreading the misconception that "end of life services" are synonymous with "euthanasia," and nothing could be farther from the truth.

According to the National Library of Medicine, end of life services are defined as:

services [that] are available to help patients and their families deal with issues surrounding death." This can include making decisions about treatment, designating a health care proxy, choosing a hospice program and putting together a living will, all of which the bill mentions explicitly as being part of an advance care planning consultation. In a 2003 study, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that "[p]atients who talked with their families or physicians about their preferences for end-of-life care had less fear and anxiety, felt they had more ability to influence and direct their medical care, believed that their physicians had a better understanding of their wishes, and indicated a greater understanding and comfort level than they had before the discussion.

This is not a discussion about euthanasia. It's a mature, thoughtful discussion about how to die with dignity, about adhering to someone's wishes if they are no longer able to speak for themselves, about being respectful of our seniors and their wishes. It's about allowing gerontologists to bill Medicare for their services when they have these discussions with their patients. These are adults we're talking about - they're capable of having these conversations with their health care providers, and quite frankly, many of them need the help. It's not like most people have a ton of experience with end of life decisions. And the help isn't "mandatory," as Ms. McCaughey claims. It's initiated by the patient, not by some Logan's Run Sandman who wants the senior to climb into the Carousel and take their chances.

I've had this discussion with my Hot Mom, and I have to say I wouldn't have it any other way. My Hot Sister and I both know what she wants, and she has everything squared away and ready to go in case she becomes debilitated or dies unexpectedly. Does that mean my Hot Sister and I want her to hurry up and drop dead so she can quit being such a burden on the U.S. entitlement system? Of course not. But if something does happen unexpectedly, we'll know what to do. That's a Good Thing.

So what the fuck is wrong with Betsy McCaughey, that she's running all over the country spreading lies about H.R. 3200? I wish I knew. If we had a handle on her motivation for all this fear-mongering, we'd be in a better position to address it (and her). Christ, even the A.A.R.P. thinks she's off the deep end.

This woman is a grade A, freeze-dried whackaloon. Please, Ms McCaughey. Seek help. Before you run into Nathan on the street.

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*This piece is a Hot Chicks/Polybloggimous joint. Nathan was going to write it hisownself, but he inadvertently electrocuted himself by frothing all over his keyboard while doing research. So I've taken up the torch while he chews through his full-body cast in an effort to chase after Ms. McCaughey and beat her to death with a copy of H.R. 3200.

From what I can gather amongst your magnificent prose (and I don't dare go to Nathan's Polyblogimous), I believe than Betsy is afraid of the dying process and that she is in no way in control of that.That fact that she has a foundation fighting infectious diseases in hospitals (which are sometimes rampant and extremely dangerous--best get sick and stay at home), shows you how much she feels death is a Bad Thing to be fought tooth and nail.I'm sure she has also discovered that Bureaucracy is a a Strange Bedfellow and is terrified of that too. :-)

Heh, i'm not sure which thought is more frightening, that McCaughey is knowingly lying,in the knowledge that there are people who will not do any further research, and immediately buy into the scariest explanation.

Or maybe she actually BELIEVES this shit herself. In which case she is a full blown paranoid schizophrenic, and there are people taking this psycho seriously.

Or maybe, just maybe, she is a 23 columist Erisian engaging in Operation Mindfuck activities and trying to bring a bit more chaos into the world.

First, more than have my research projects when I was working on my MPH were on End-of-Life Care, so I'm not just talking out of my head here.

This woman needs to shit the fuck up NOW.

End-of-Life Care is a serious issue that needs serious discussion, not some fucking freeze dried wack-a-loon going off half cocked.

End-of-Life Care is NOT about euthanasia. End-of-Life Care is using all the resources available so that people don't feel like they need to consider euthanasia, by providing proper pain management, as well as counseling for the family members both before and after a death.

Although hospice is becoming more common in the US, it is STILL incredibly underused. The Medicare Hospice benefit has not had a 6 month limit for years, and yet last I checked, the average time a patient spent in hospice was under one month.

End of life care and advanced directives exist so that the end of life experience for those with a terminal illness does not involve filling out forms and making last minute decisions.

End of life care exists so that the dying patient can spend their last days with their family and friends, in as much peace as they are able to gather unto themselves.

The extreme right is afraid because they figure once us lefties get euthanasia on the books, we're going to round up their asses. Or that their progeny will quickly pull the plug.

Having to use Hospice for both my grandparents, I can't speak highly enough of them. And just as the reminder, everyone should have Living Wills and Healthcare Power of Attorney documents. And if it's your choice, the DNR order (my Mom had to wave hers for her bypass surgery).

She's not delusional; she's purposely lying through her teeth to discredit this proposal. I can't get a handle on what her agenda is since her foundation is actually a pretty good cause. I mean, getting health care professionals to be more conscientious about washing their hands to reduce transferring infection isn't a bad thing...is it?

There are real points in the health care plan that are legitimately debatable. Maybe she doesn't think they're sexy enough?

Or maybe she's going to make another stab at Statewide or National office and she's prepping the way for a switch back to the Republican Party. (Last time I checked, she had switched to the Dems, but that was all about positioning herself to run against Gov. Pataki who didn't keep her on the ticket last time he ran for re-election._

Janiece, I in no way disagree with you on Betsy. I had, in fact, already received an "email forward" from a family member about the subject of Health Care encouraging and supporting "putting down" the elderly and I was pretty shocked at its crassness.My comments on Betsy were merely to highlight that somebody coming from unrecognized personal fears can say and do the wackiest nonsense and not even spot it. Sometimes, when somebody voices the absolutely blackest, most idiotic interpretation of something like this Health Care project, the opposition that is more "reasonably" opposing it loses a huge amount of credibility. Wackiness brings out the wackos into the light, which tends to shrivel them.Nathan has a good point about a hidden agenda, also. Betsy's is not real evident. Stay tuned.... ;-)

Brenda, I don't disagree with you, either. I think your comments are wise and thought provoking, which I appreciate.

I honestly don't know what's driving her, but aside from idle curiosity, I have to say I really don't care. I have no emotional investment in this woman, but I have a huge investment in health care reform (as does every American).

But it's good to have someone remind me that there's always another side to every issue. Thanks!

Sometimes, I'm a little stupid and I have to be hit over the head a few times before the lights come on.

Ms. McCaughey almost certainly has political aspirations. Even though her switch to Democrat to run against Pataki is pretty easily explained, she'd rather just change the subject. This whole thing is intended to firmly plant herself in the most right-wing whacko wing of the Republican Party so that when she decides to switch back and run (for something), she'll have street cred with her base.

I don't know if she's positioning herself to run for NY Governor in 2010 (against a very weak incumbent who is only there since Spitzer was forced to resign), or for the VP slot in 2012 (although both, certainly isn't out of the question). Maybe she sees herself as Palin without the annoying accent.

OH, I really wanted all that froth all over my lunch...She needs to get in the fuckin' sack. NOW!!!

First of all, I have known my parents' wishes for well over 30 years. It's not a hot topic with our immediate family, but we do discuss it from time to time. It's probably about time I remind them to make sure everything's updated and my contact info is current, but again, not a big issue.

We've been doing advanced planning all along. My dad is now 90, my mom 85, a little slower sure, but my dad still drives. With our family history they both fully expect to be around for many more years. They don't need the government to tell them they need to plan and/or what the options are. Yeesh.

Oh, and they voted for our current President, I'm sure they don't think he's trying to kill them for any reason. (and one of the times I'm glad they DON'T have a computer, my father would be completely outraged and frothing at MCaughey's stupidity).

You are correct, Nathan. The agenda here is obvious. McCaughey doesn't believe the shit she's saying for a second. She's opposed to Health Care Reform and what she's doing is pandering to the Extreme Right. She's using the standard Rush tactic to scare the shit out of Seniors and to rally the same people who picket abortion clinics and the ones raised hell in the Terry Schiavo case. She doesn't care if she has to lie to get what she wants, just like with the Birthers and the right to lifers and creationists the means justify the ends. She's playing on the fears of people like the Birthers and the Right to Lifers and gullible old people who think Obama is the fucking Anti-Christ.

This woman is a complete and total scumbag, but I don't think she's crazy. I think she's a shrewd politician who's pulling a Palin and playing to the extreme and vocal right to get her way.

About Me

I am a Hot Chick living in Castle Rock, CO with my fabulous family. We have a rescue dog named "Jackson," and she's a Basenji/Shepherd mix. She's something of a head case, but we love her. I'm a U.S. Navy vet, and I currently work as an Enterprise Solutions Architect, specializing in VoIP and multimedia contact center design. I care about social justice, libraries, science, the U.S. Constitution and the military. I serve as a Director on our local library's Foundation Board. I'm a tax and spend liberal in a largely red county, but I try not to be stabby about it. I aspire to run faster than I do, and I donate knitted cold weather gear to various charities. Stupidity, cupidity and wanton assholery piss me off, and I'm more than a little soft when it comes to dogs and those who serve others. I blog about whatever I feel like. I use foul language, so if that sort of thing offends you, feel free to fuck off now - if I'm unwilling to clean up my language for my fabulous Great Auntie Margie, I'm unlikely to do so for you. Newcomers are welcome here, especially those who disagree with me, but trolling and spamming will be met with the Shovel of Doom™.